1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates generally to systems, devices, and methods for controlling the certain predetermined chemical properties of a body of water. More specifically, the present invention relates to portable, low cost, robust, systems, devices, and methods for controlling the chlorine content and pH level of a swimming pool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many systems have been designed for controlling the chemical balance of a swimming pool and the like. For the most part, simple, inexpensive systems performing this function automatically dispense pre-set amounts of chemicals into the pool at pre-set intervals. They do not sense or respond to the chemical condition of the pool, a condition which will vary dramatically with pool usage, weather, temperature, and other environmental factors. Thus, they easily can cause the chemical balance of the pool to depart considerably from the proper range. The more expensive, elaborate versions of such systems do sense the chemical balance of the pool, and dispense chemicals to maintain the balance of a pool with a given range. However, because of their elaborate nature such systems only are economical for large, heavily used pools.
A typical swimming pool recirculating system includes a pool, a skimmer 4 through which water passes to a pipe leading to a pump that forces this water the recirculating system. The system generally uses electrodes to measure the reduction-oxidation potential, and therefore the concentration of oxidizing agents such as chlorine, of the liquid flowing past it.
The signals from these electrodes are supplied to an electronic controller. The controller compares the outputs of the electrodes to standards indicative of the desired pH and oxidizing (chlorine) balance of the pool. When the balance sensed by either electrode departs from a given range, the controller energizes the appropriate solenoid valve to cause the appropriate chemical to be fed from a chemical supply bottle through a pilot tube. The water flowing through the intake line and past the pilot tubes produces sufficient negative pressure within the tubes to, when the associated solenoid valve is open, draw chemical from the chemical supply containers. Alternatively, instead of employing pilot tubes and solenoid valves, pumps may be used to positively force chemicals through the supply lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,154 discloses a system for controlling the chemical balance of a body of liquid, such as a swimming pool, compares the output of a chemical balance sensor immersed in the liquid with a standard indicative of the desired chemical balance, then dispenses a chemical into the pool to adjust its balance towards the desired balance. A timer limits the duty cycle of the dispenser to a relatively short dispensing interval followed by a longer non-dispensing interval permitting the dispensed chemical to disperse throughout the pool, the sensing and dispensing cycle then being repeated if appropriate. Preferably, there are a plurality of sensors, comparators and dispensers, each dispenser having a timer to limit its duty cycle. Also, preferably an over-range alarm is employed to alert an attendant when the chemical balance of the pool departs from a given range. Further, preferably the system is adjustable permitting both the desired balance level and the water limits defining the given range to be simultaneously adjusted. The system may be employed with either a dry or liquid chemical dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,872 discloses a portable water treatment system for bulk filling of a swimming pool with treated water. The system discloses a pH conditioning tank and a water conditioning tank allowing for the filling of a pool, without the need for pumps, electricity, or controls on the incoming water source. The system includes the use of soaker devices that allow treatment of the water through the addition of a predetermined amount of chemical as it is exposed to the incoming water. The system allows for treated water to be placed into the pool so as to prohibit early degradation of the walls or materials of the swimming pool surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,481 discloses a swimming pool cleaning system includes a pump, a first tube coupling a suction port of the pump in fluid communication with a main drain or mobile cleaning device which draws water and settled debris from the bottom of the pool, and a skimming device including an entrainment nozzle. The entrainment nozzle is coupled by a second tube to a coupling device which diverts a small portion of pool return water pumped from an outlet port of the pump. Most of the pool return water is pumped into a rotary distribution valve, various outlets of which are connected to various pool cleaning heads embedded in an inner surface of the pool. A vacuum canister having a removable cover to allow access to a removable debris trap disposed in the vacuum canister between an inlet and an outlet thereof is coupled between a suction inlet of the pump and the main drain or mobile cleaning device. A single low-horsepower pump produces simultaneous effective skimming, operation of embedded cleaning heads, and trapping of debris in a trap in a vacuum canister.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,412 discloses an improved test is described for chlorine in pool and spa water where potassium monopersulfate is used as an oxidizing agent and DPD is used as an indicator. N,N-bis(hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethane sulfonic acid or bicine is used to mask or eliminate the potassium monopersulfate so that it does not interfere with the DPD indicator. The test is very reliable and accurate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,840 discloses a cleaning system for a swimming pool having plural active drains deployed about the bottom wall of a swimming pool and that cooperate with plural stationary nozzles mounted in the side walls that direct a flow of water down the side wall of the swimming pool. The directional nozzles dislodge debris from the side and bottom walls which is swept toward and received by the plural active floor drains, thus cleaning the pool. Additionally, the active floor drains have a grid cover that admits larger debris and does not prohibit the use of mobile pool cleaners. The active floor drains are connected to in-deck, fine mesh canister filters to remove medium and large size debris before it reaches the water pump and balance of the pool filtration system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,091 discloses a single dosage dispenser for delivering chemical reagent to a test sample includes a body having an inlet and opposing outlet. The inlet is threadably and communicably engaged with a container holding a chemical reagent. The outlet includes a plurality of stepped receptacles for communicably receiving respective sizes of test sample holders. A spring actuated plunger is slidably mounted within the dispenser body between the inlet and the outlet. The plunger includes a reagent accommodating compartment. The spring urges the plunger into a first state wherein the plunger is communicably connected to the inlet for receiving a single dosage of reagent from the container. The user presses the plunger to drive the plunger within the dispenser body so that the compartment is communicably connected to the outlet. As a result, the reagent in the compartment is dispensed through the outlet into the test sample holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,774 discloses a portable pool cleaning system for the remote cleaning of a swimming pool including a housing and a base. A motor is connected to the housing and is attached to a high pressure pump wherein the pump includes both intake and ports. The first tubing is connected to the intake port and the opposite end is inserted into the swimming pool for the transportation of water from the swimming pool to the pump. A second tubing is connected to an output port of the high pressure pump with the opposite end of the second tubing placed into the swimming pool and attached to a self-propelled cleaning device. The self-propelled cleaning device uses a high pressure water stream as a scrubbing function. The motor is connected to a timer which is connected to a power source. The timer initiates the activation and deactivation of the motor and the self-propelled cleaning device. A means for attaching the base and portable pool cleaning system to the periphery of the swimming pool is also included.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,979,400 discloses a mobile apparatus, typically in the form of automatic swimming pool cleaners, capable of indicating temperatures (or pressures) of the pool water in which they are deployed are discussed. The indication may, but need not necessarily, occur through change in color of one of more components of the cleaners. Some versions may have floats adapted to provide this color change. These or other versions may include floats that are not spherical in shape as well. Alternatively, temperature (or pressure) indication may be provided by other aspects of a water-circulation system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,214,310 discloses a portable pool cleaning system for the remote cleaning of a swimming pool including a housing and a base. A motor is connected to the housing and is attached to a high pressure pump wherein the pump includes both intake and ports. The first tubing is connected to the intake port and the opposite end is inserted into the swimming pool for the transportation of water from the swimming pool to the pump. A second tubing is connected to an output port of the high pressure pump with the opposite end of the second tubing placed into the swimming pool and attached to a self-propelled cleaning device. The self-propelled cleaning device uses a high pressure water stream as a scrubbing function. The motor is connected to a timer which is connected to a power source. The timer initiates the activation and deactivation of the motor and the self-propelled cleaning device. A means for attaching the base and portable pool cleaning system to the periphery of the swimming pool is also included.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,576 discloses a swimming pool cleaning system includes a pump, a first tube coupling a suction port of the pump in fluid communication with a main drain or mobile cleaning device which draws water and settled debris from the bottom of the pool, and a skimming device including an entrainment nozzle and a safety tube. The entrainment nozzle is coupled by a second tube to a coupling device which diverts a small portion of pool return water pumped from an outlet port of the pump. The safety tube extends from above the water line and above the debris trap in the skimmer to the body of the skimmer below the debris trap. Most of the pool return water is pumped into a rotary distribution valve, various outlets of which are connected to various pool cleaning heads embedded in an inner surface of the pool. A single low-horsepower pump produces simultaneous effective skimming and operation of embedded cleaning heads.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,997 discloses a portable skimmer, motor and pump protector for a swimming pool or a hot tub having a sidewall, an adjoining top deck, a skimmer in the sidewall, in fluid communication with the pool pump and motor. The protector includes a frame having a top portion resting against the top deck, an upright portion resting against the sidewall, wherein the frame surrounds the skimmer. A handle extends from the top frame portion. Removable netting surrounds the frame to permit passage of water but prevent passage of leaves and other debris into the skimmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,794,660 discloses a fluid content monitor including a cuvette, a calorimeter adapted to generate a signal indicative of contents of a fluid sample contained in the cuvette, a container for holding a reagent, and a pump assembly for delivering reagent from the container to the cuvette. The pump assembly includes a tube extending from the container to the cuvette, check valves preventing reverse flow in the tube, and a hammer driven by a solenoid for repetitively compressing the tube to pump reagent to the cuvette. The cuvette can be removed for cleaning and replacement.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,128,815 discloses a portable self-contained, battery operated vacuum unit which is attachable by a hose to an underwater vacuum head for cleaning the floor of a swimming pool, a pond, a fish tank, or the like includes a rotomolded body having lower wheels and an upper handle so that it can easily be wheeled to a desired location. The handle is formed as an overhang with lower bumpers so that the unit can be partially submersed in a pool hanging on the edge of the pool. The body contains a battery operated pump, a rechargeable battery selectively coupled to the pump by a switch, a filter and a basket. A hose coupling is arranged above the basket and the inlet of the pump is arrange below the filter which is located below the basket. The outlet of the pump is arranged at the bottom front of the unit. The unit may also be used as a filter for any liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,586 discloses a motorized robot for cleaning swimming pools, including: means (2) for moving the robot, having a surface (3) for making contact with a movement surface submerged in the swimming pool; means (4) for generating a circulation of fluid in the robot, including an opening for the suction (5) of said fluid, and an opening for the backflow (6) of the aspirated fluid; a conduit (7) of fluid connecting the suction and backflow openings; means for generating (8) a flow of said fluid in the conduit; a strut for lifting at least part of the contact surface (3) from the movement surface, said strut being mobile between a first inactive position in which the strut is retracted inside the robot and a second active position in which the strut projects past the contact surface of the movement means in such a way that part of said contact surface can no longer be in contact with the movement surface; and means for controlling (10) the movement of the strut between its active and inactive positions, said means being activated by a movement of the fluid in the fluid conduit, and including means (11) for opposing the movement of the fluid in the fluid conduit (7), which are mobile in said conduit in such a way as to at least partially block the conduit or release it, and connected to the strut in such a way that the strut takes on its active or inactive position according to the position adopted in the fluid conduit by the opposition means.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,465,651 discloses a sustainable method and system for treating and maintaining bodies of water at low cost for low density recreational use is disclosed. A system of the invention generally includes at least one containing means, at least one coordination means, at least one chemical application means, at least one non-intrusive mobile suction means, and at least one filtration means. The coordinating means can receive information regarding water quality parameters that are controlled, and can timely activate the processes necessary to adjust the water quality parameters within their respective limits. The disclosed methods and system filter only a small fraction of the total water volume, up to 200 times less per day than the flow filtered by conventional swimming pool filtration systems. The disclosed methods and system also use less chemicals, up to 100 times less than conventional swimming pool water treatment systems. The methods and system of the present invention can be used to treat recreational water bodies affected by bacteria and microalgae and provide sustainable methods for producing water that complies with bacteriological and physicochemical requirements for recreational water, as set forth by governmental regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for bathing with full body contact.
Maintaining the chemical balance of a swimming pool is quite important. If the chemical balance departs from (drops below) a given range, unsanitary conditions will develop permitting algae and bacteria to grow and contaminate the pool. If such conditions exist for long, they may require the pool to be drained and acid washed. Improperly high chlorine and pH levels can cause eye and skin irritations to swimmers, as well as pipe corrosion or scaling to the recirculating system, giving rise to increased heating costs due largely to the resultant inefficiencies. Improper chemical balance also may waste costly chemicals.
The known prior art does not disclose a portable, robust, low cost, programmable, wirelessly controllable, highly accurate, non electrode based water treatment system or method. Thus, there is a real need for an automatic chemical control system for a swimming pool, one which is relatively simple in construction yet sensitive and durable in operation. Such a system would provide significant safety and a real convenience to the pool owner, reducing his usage of pool chemicals and permitting him to leave the pool unattended for extended periods of time and have the pool available for use at any time.